System and Method for Remotely Configuring a Desktop Mailbox

1. Apparatus for a communication network having at least a mobile node and a home node, the home node having a configured desktop email manager capable of automatically effectuating a plurality of different dispositions for different email messages received at the home node, according to how the home-node desktop email manager is configured, and the mobile node comprising a memory device operable to store a current configuration status included in a confirmation message, said apparatus for reconfiguring the home-node desktop email manager from the mobile node, said apparatus comprising: a configuration status request message generator selectably coupled to the communication network and configured for selectably generating a status summary request for transmission to the home node in order to determine the current configuration of the desktop email manager; a receiver configured to receive a configuration status summary of the current configuration of the desktop email manager; a reconfiguration message generator selectably coupled to the communication network for generating a reconfiguration message comprising instructions to make changes to a home-node configuration file for reconfiguring the effectuation of disposition of the email messages responsive to the reconfiguration message; a transmitter configured to transmit the reconfiguration message to the home-node, wherein the home-node performs the reconfiguration of the home-node desktop email manager if the home-node determines the reconfiguration message is considered to be proper and logically consistent with the home-node desktop email manager; whereby a first type email message received at the home node from the communication network is automatically provided a first type of disposition prior to receipt of the reconfiguration message and provided a second type disposition after receipt of the reconfiguration message, email messages being unchanged by dispositions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the disposition is comprised of at least one of: filtering an email message; deleting an message, replying to an email message; and forwarding an email message.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the communication network is a cellular communication network.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reconfiguration message generator is resident in the mobile node.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the mobile node includes an organizer database that may be synchronized with a home-node organizer database over the communication network, and wherein the reconfiguration message is transmitted with the organizer synchronization data.

6. A method for reconfiguring a home-node desktop email_manager through a communication network, the home-node desktop email manager being capable of automatically effectuating a plurality of different dispositions for different email messages received at the home node, according to how the home-node desktop email manager is configured, said method comprising: providing a mobile node operable to communicate in the communication network, the mobile node comprising a memory device operable to store a current configuration status summary included in a confirmation message, if any, from the home node subsequent to a reconfiguration; transmitting to the mobile node a configuration status message if a configuration status summary request message has been received; generating a reconfiguration message comprising instructions to make changes to a home-node configuration file to request initiation of reconfiguration of disposition of the email messages; transmitting the reconfiguration message to the home node via the communication network; determining at the home node whether changes identified in the reconfiguration message are logically inconsistent with the current desktop email manager settings; and performing the reconfiguration of the home-node desktop email manager requested in the reconfiguration message if the reconfiguration message is considered to be proper and logically consistent with the home-node desktop email manager; whereby a first type email message received at the home node from the communication network is automatically provided a first type of disposition prior to receipt of the reconfiguration message and provided a second type disposition after receipt of the reconfiguration message, email messages being unchanged by dispositions.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising receiving a confirmation message indicating that the requested reconfiguration has been made.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising requesting a desktop email manager configuration status summary.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving the desktop email manager configuration status summary, wherein the step of generating a reconfiguration message is not performed until the desktop email manager configuration status summary is received.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the reconfiguration message is generated in the mobile node.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the mobile node includes an organizer database that may be synchronized with a home-node organizer database over the communication network, and wherein the reconfiguration message is transmitted with the organizer synchronization data.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the mobile node comprises a Web browser, and further comprising: requesting a Web page from a Web site on a server via the communication network; receiving the Web page; displaying at least a portion of the Web page; interacting with the displayed portion of the Web page to indicate changes to the home-node desktop email manager; and transmitting the indicated changes to the server.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the reconfiguration message is generated in the server.

14. Apparatus for a home node of a communication network having a mobile node comprising a memory device operable to store a current configuration status message, the home node having a configured desktop email manager capable of automatically effectuating a plurality of different dispositions for different email messages received at the home node, according to how the home-node desktop email manager is configured, said apparatus comprising: a configuration status summary generator configured to generate a mobile-node-terminated configuration status summary of a current configuration of the email manager responsive to a status summary request; and a home node reconfiguration message processor configured to effectuate reconfiguration of configuration of the disposition of email messages responsive to reception of a reconfiguration message that comprises instructions to make home-node, configuration-file changes; a receiver configured to receive the reconfiguration message from the mobile node, wherein the home-node performs the reconfiguration of the home-node desktop email manager if the home-node determines the reconfiguration message is considered to be proper and logically consistent with the home-node desktop email manager; whereby a first type email message received at the home node from the communication network is automatically provided a first type of disposition prior to receipt of the reconfiguration message and provided a second type disposition after receipt of the reconfiguration message, email messages being unchanged by dispositions.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a home-node message generator for generating a mobile-node-terminated reconfiguration confirmation message.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the home-node message generator is operable to generate a mobile-node-terminated message indicating whether changes requested in the reconfiguration message can be made.